Can We Stay Here Forever?
by StatsGrandma57
Summary: Leia needs time away from work and with her family. AU. Rating is back to T. Chapter 12 completes our story!
1. Chapter 1

1

Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own none of it. I make no money off of it. That is all.

"When's Mom coming home?" Anakin asked his father as Han attempted to situate baby Jarik in his feeding chair.

"She's got a dinner meeting, but then she'll be home," Han told his second son. He returned to the cooktop to check on dinner for himself and the three older kids.

"I hate it when she's late," Anakin grumbled.

"Yeah, well, so does she," Han responded.

"Can I have plain pasta instead of stew?" Anakin was starting to grate on Han's nerves, and never more than when he was complaining about what was being served. He lived largely on pasta and flatbread with forest honey. "You already made some for Jarik!"

"Three answers. No, no and no," Han informed him. "Here, set the table." Han popped open the dish scrubber and started grabbing plates, glasses, bowls and flatware, handing them off to his scowling eight-and-a-half-year-old son.

"I'm not cleaning up!" Anakin protested.

"You set, then someone else cleans up, which you know," Han informed him. "I think it's Jacen's turn."

Han began tossing a vegetable salad when he heard the whoosh of the entry door. "Chewie, is that you?" he called out.

"Not unless I've grown another meter and have a lot more hair," came the unexpected voice of Leia.

"Hi Mom!" Anakin called out, racing to give his mother a hug. Jaina and Jacen, who'd been playing Grand Theft Star Destroyer: Tatooine, called out to her. Jarik began babbling wildly.

Leia extracted herself from Anakin and went into the kitchen to see Han. Her husband immediately perceived something was amiss.

"Are you all right?" Han asked her, pulling her close. "I thought you had a dinner meeting."

Leia looked up at him, her expression a combination of desperation and weariness.

"Han," she began.

"What is it?" He asked her as he ran his thumb along her cheek.

"I need to get away from here."

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Once Leia had tucked Jarik into bed and hugged the other three, she sat down on the sofa next to Han, who was catching the Corellian Drednoughts' latest catastrophe. He immediately switched off the sports channel and pulled Leia close to him.

"It's really getting to me, Han," Leia said quietly.

"It's work, isn't it?"

Leia sighed. "I've devoted my life to the Rebellion and then to the New Republic for twenty-some years now. And it was worth it to me. But I'm reaching the point where I don't think I can do this anymore. And I feel guilty about it."

Han kissed the top of her head. "Why? I think you've done the work of any ten sentients every day of your life. No one's done more to establish the intergalactic government than you have."

"Some days I feel like I'm swimming against a riptide," Leia said sadly. "I know it's impossible to make everyone happy. We have a good, if very messy, system in place. And yet, while I feel like I _should_ do more, it's almost as if I _can't_ do more.

"Democracy's always messy. Freedom's messy. Hells, _life_ is messy."

"Our apartment is proof of that," Leia concurred, and she smiled a little. She looked up at Han. "Another thing that's getting to me is this damn planet. I hate it here. I used to kid Luke for trying to get away from here as fast as possible every time he visits. But now I think he has a point."

"Hey, I don't need to tell you how I feel about this planet. And we're the lucky ones, not living over five thousand levels down."

"I know. And I've always appreciated your willingness to stay here despite that. I know you did it for me, and I can't tell you how grateful I am."

"Why wouldn't I do it for you? You're my wife and I love you, and what's important to you is important to me."

Tears welled up in Leia's eyes. "I feel as if I'm not the person who I used to be. It's not that I don't care. I do. But I don't think I can do this for the rest of my life."

"Is there something wrong with that?" Han was puzzled. "People change. If you want proof, take a look at yours truly." Both laughed softly. Han looked at her tenderly. "What would you like to do, honey?"

"That's just it. I don't know. All I know is that I want off this planet for a while, somewhere I can go to just be with you and the kids and be able to think."

"When do the kids start their six week break?" Han asked her. "That's next week, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is," Leia said. More than seventeen years later, Leia missed her home planet with its peaceful atmosphere, beautiful flora and fauna, and most of all, her family and friends. She missed soft green grass, flowers, shade trees. Clear streams, lakes, oceans, all burned into her memories.

As if picking up on what Leia was thinking, Han said, "You're thinking about Alderaan, aren't you?" He said it gently; he knew of Leia's sadness about not being able to live there, and Han had come to share in that. It would have been an ideal place to raise a family. It might have even become the center of the galactic government.

Leia steeled herself. "There's no point in missing it. Nothing will bring it back."

The two were silent for a time, enjoying each other's company.

Han broke the silence. "I've got an idea."

"I'm listening," Leia said softly.

"The South Continent's pretty nice this time of year," Han said to her, smiling.

"You're talking about Corellia." In her time as Minister of State, she'd been there many times, and found the climate to be delightful. Getting the government to join the New Republic had been more of a challenge. Corellians were a skeptical lot, proud and fiercely independent. _Not unlike the man I married_, Leia thought, a smile curving on her lips.

"Kids would love it," Han said. "We can get a beach house, just be a family, not worry about anything else."

"Don't you have jobs coming up?" Leia asked him.

"I do, but I think Chewie and me can get a lot of 'em done this week. Then I'll put Less Than Twelve Parsecs on summer vacation status," Han said, smiling. "I could use a break myself. Maybe Chewie'd like to head back to Kashyyyk for a visit."

"I think this will be a great vacation," Leia said, turning to wrap her arms around Han, who was holding her already. For the first time in recent memory, both were relaxed as they headed to their bedroom.

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There'd been some protests from Jaina and Anakin, who didn't want to leave their friends, but once on the _Falcon_, their excitement was palpable. The three older children always loved flying in their father's 'bucket of bolts'; when they were younger, they'd always fall asleep once they'd taken off. Jaina and Anakin were already demanding chances to co-pilot. Jacen was amusing Jarik, and Leia was relaxing in the engineer's chair.

"Okay, Jaina, you're up," Han told his only daughter. "Try not to hit any asteroid fields." Han turned to wink at Leia. Leia glowered at him. The asteroid field was not one of her favorite memories. What happened shortly after they escaped the asteroid field was, however, one of her very best.

Jacen brought Jarik back to Leia, which made the little boy smile and laugh with delight. Then he and Anakin went to the lounge to play cards.

"They're almost old enough for sabacc," Han said to Leia.

"Let's not rush anything," Leia replied, laughing. "They're growing up too fast as is!" There were times when she regretted being away so much when the first three were small. She was determined to spend as much time as possible with Jarik. She'd missed so much time with her other three when they were babies, and she was determined not to let that happen again.

She hoped that by the time the trip ended, she'd have her life figured out.


	2. Chapter 2

1

Chapter 2

Getting a beach house on the South Continent of Corellia was a stroke of good luck; Han had a friend of a friend whose father owned one and rented it out. Han and Leia had steeled themselves to pay top credits for one, but they lucked out; the six week stay cost far less than they'd anticipated. If Leia had decided to use her diplomatic credentials, they'd have likely gotten a place for free, but she wasn't going to exercise that option. Leia always felt vaguely guilty for being comp'd at so many places; she felt, as she had since she was young, that she should pay her way. She'd demanded equal treatment during the war, and when she returned to civilian life, despite her lofty status, she continued to do the same.

By the time they'd landed at the closest spaceport, the three older kids were climbing out of their skins with excitement. Any earlier objections Jaina and Anakin might have had about being away from their friends had long since vanished, and the trip in the speeder was noisy, to put it mildly. The coastline was visible all along the way to the house, and the three kids screamed that they wanted to get in the water _right now_.

At first glance, the house appeared to be small and modest, but once the family was inside, they were surprised to find that not only did it have two bedrooms on the first floor, but a loft upstairs, which the twins claimed instantly.

"You're staying with Jarik," Jacen taunted Anakin.

"Mom! Do I gotta stay with Jarik?" Anakin yelled down to his mother.

"How many beds are there?" Leia called back.

"Three!"

"You can stay up in the loft!" Leia told him, smiling.

"Aww, Mom!" Jaina protested.

"Jaina? Would you like to spend the next six weeks sharing a room with Jarik?" Han yelled up.

"No way!" she shouted back.

"Then Anakin gets to stay with you! C'mon, get ready to go in the water!"

That shut down any arguments. The kids also had their own 'fresher, meaning that Han and Leia didn't have to share with them.

Han and Leia took the room that overlooked the ocean, with a small but pleasant deck outside of it.

"Now this is living," Han commented to Leia, picking up Jarik. "And you, young man, get your very own room." Jarik was babbling happily as Han put the baby on his shoulders. "But we're headed for the water, so let's get you ready for that." He smiled at Leia. "You want some time alone, or are you gonna go in the water with the rest of us?"

Leia smiled at him coyly. "I'm about to put my bikini on."

"Close your eyes, kid!" Han warned Jarik, laughing. "'Cause I'm not sharing the view!"

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Getting everyone down to the beach took less than five standard minutes. Baggage had been unpacked only enough to get swimwear and towels out.

"The water's so warm!" Jacen shouted.

"And clear! Look, I can see my feet!" Jaina exclaimed. She was in water up to her neck.

"Best beach ever!" Anakin called out, grabbing on to his father. Hard work had made Han extremely strong, and he picked Anakin up, swung the shrieking boy around, and tossed him into the water.

"My turn!" Jaina shouted, swimming over to her father. Jaina was still light enough to be picked up and thrown in, and Han obliged her.

"I'm not gonna be able to do that much longer," Han said to Leia, who was playing with Jarik in the water, both of them laughing. "Here, lemme take him for a few."

"Dad! I want you to throw me in again!" Anakin complained.

"Sorry, I've got your little brother," Han said, not sounding particularly apologetic.

"You want to get thrown in again?" Leia asked her younger son. She grabbed him, got him down into the water, and tossed him with a surprising amount of strength.

"Mom! How'd you do that?" Jacen asked, his expression one of admiration.

"Get over here and find out!" Leia shouted to him.

"You sure you wanna do that? Last time I tossed him in the pool, my shoulder was out for a week," Han confided to her.

"Hey, in case you've forgotten, I killed Jabba!" Leia reminded him.

"Trust me, I haven't!" Han winked at her. He had always been incredibly impressed that she'd brought down his nemesis, especially since she did it in the slave costume. He'd kept the costume, much to Leia's dismay. She'd refused to put it on again, but he kept hoping.

Jacen was as tall as Leia now and weighed almost as much, so she couldn't quite get the leverage with him that she'd hoped, but she did manage to push him off enough that he was sufficiently impressed.

"That's a one shot deal, kiddo!" she warned Jacen, laughing.

"Do me again!" Anakin demanded.

"Oh, you think you want to go again?" Leia asked him, narrowing her eyes but the smile not quite leaving her lips.

"Yeah!" Anakin thought it was great that his mother was able to launch him. Leia had always had a soft spot for her second son; the twins were louder, and he wasn't the baby anymore. He didn't complain much; for the most part, he was a pleasant, even-tempered soul, well liked among his peers. Jacen and Jaina argued with him at times, simply because they were all kids, but he never stayed angry with anyone for very long.

"Me next!" Jaina said, swimming over to her mother. The three kids had grown up in the water; the complex they lived in had two large pools, and every chance they got, they were in them.

Jaina was petite like her mother, but like Leia, her size belied her strength. Leia launched her into the air, Jaina shrieking as she fell into the water.

"You're good, Mom," Jaina said as she surfaced, her voice respectful. Gaining Jaina's respect was a difficult task, and out of all the children, she argued with Leia the most. Mothers and daughters, Leia knew all too well, were complicated.

Jacen took Jarik from his father, and Han started swimming after Leia. He managed to catch up with her, picked her up, and tossed her as he would the kids. Needless to say, the kids thought this was great, and then they began bugging their father again. Han was willing to oblige them, although he knew he'd pay for it later with aching muscles. The kids also laughed as Leia surfaced.

Finally, both parents pleaded exhaustion, and returned to the cabana chairs in the sand. The sand was always cool even when the weather was hot; it was a delicate pink color, forming a contrast to the turquoise water of the ocean. Han headed for the house and came back with two Alderaanian ales. Jarik was near Leia, covering himself with sand and laughing.

"That's one happy little guy," Han said about Jarik, handing Leia an ice cold ale. He turned to Leia. "I'm not trying to be crass here, but I'm glad that some of Alderaan's best brewmasters survived."

"It's nice to still be able to get a taste of home," Leia said wistfully. She wasn't usually an ale drinker, but she loved it when she was on vacation and the brew was very cold.

"Gotta say, the Alderaanians are way better than the Corellians when it comes to ale," Han said, grinning at her. He picked Jarik up; it was clear that the little boy was tiring out, and Jarik laid against his father's chest. Within minutes, the baby boy had fallen asleep. Han cuddled him tenderly. Warmth flooded Leia. Han was such a terrific father; she knew she couldn't ask for better. Once upon a time, neither could have imagined being parents. But that was before they met each other, fought with each other and for each other, and finally realized that their lives had been touched by love, a love that would not be denied, and one to be celebrated every day of their lives.

Like today.


	3. Chapter 3

1

CAN WE STAY HERE FOREVER?

Chapter 3

The family had been at the beach house for a week, and save for a few arguments between the kids, the trip had been filled with fun and laughter. The stresses of work and school had slid off of each one of them and had been carried off in the waves.

The best part, as far as Han and Leia were concerned, was that the intense play, in the water and out of it, knocked the kids out early enough that they had time alone each evening. Granted, they were exhausted themselves, but they relished the time alone when it was quiet.

The two were on the sofa of the small living room, watching the smashball game, with the Corellian Drednoughts once again being trounced, this time by the Soccorran Vro-cats.

"Have they ever won a game?" Leia asked Han. She had her head on his chest, and she had her hand on the arm he'd slung over her.

"Couple times," Han replied absently. "I don't remember when, though." The game being over, he grabbed the remote and snapped the holoscreen off. He smiled at Leia. "You're looking pretty relaxed there."

"So are you, Flyboy," Leia said to him, giving him a loving smile and tilting her head back so that they could kiss.

"I'll probably be crippled for life before this vacation's over," Han said, flashing Leia the off center smile that never ceased to make her breath catch.

"You can say no to the kids when they want to be tossed in the water," she reminded him.

"Yeah, we all know _that'll_ happen," Han snorted. "At least Jacen doesn't ask too often." Jacen was growing very tall and his weight was keeping up. "Besides, I don't think I've had this much fun in a long, long time.

"It's so easy to get buried in the details of living every day. You start thinking that they're the most important things in life, and they're not," Leia said, her voice wistful. "I had so much fun walking to the bakery with Anakin today. I feel like I'm beginning to know him a little better." Her eyes were bright, and her smile was the one that melted Han's heart.

"He really is a nice kid," Han agreed. "I wish he'd keep better track of his shoes and that he'd eat something that's not white, but hey, he's someone everyone likes. He's gonna be a pretty good mechanic, too."

"I know he's only eight and a half, but I'm glad he's good with that, because as a pilot, well, I don't think he's got your prowess," Leia said, smiling. "Jaina, on the other hand, is startlingly good for one so young."

"Jaina's a natural. She was born to fly," Han agreed. "I still don't let her do crazy stuff, but that day's coming." He winced at the idea.

"Are you planning to have her fly through an asteroid field?" Leia asked teasingly.

"Hey, that wasn't my idea of a good time," Han said, laughing and smiling. "Admit it. You were a little bit impressed."

"A whole lot scared is what I was," Leia said, a lightness in her tone.

"Yeah, well, you weren't the only one," Han said, kissing her again. "I can't say I miss those days."

"I don't, either, but in some ways, it was easier. We knew our enemies, could identify them easily. Trying to build and maintain a democratic republic, now that's hard."

"Leia," Han said, his voice very soft, "You don't need to be the person that does everything for everyone. I know you feel a huge responsibility to the Republic. But you work harder than anyone I know, and it's not surprising that it's getting old."

Leia sighed. "My father never stopped working for justice and peace. He'd still be working at it if he were alive." A look of pain passed over her features.

"Yeah. But you're not him," Han hastened to remind her.

"I know. But he'd be so disappointed in me." Leia was becoming stressed again, and she began pacing.

Han frowned. "I doubt that very much. I never knew Bail Organa, but I think he'd be proud of everything you've done. And you've done a lot, Leia. You're the most determined, hardworking, smartest woman I've ever met. But that doesn't mean you've gotta keep this up the rest of your days."

"It's what I was raised for," Leia said, her voice heavy with sadness, tears glinting in her eyes.

"Yeah, well, I was raised for a life of crime. But I found a reason not to keep it up," Han pointed out.

Leia was trying not to break down. "It's hardly the same thing."

"No, sweetheart, it's exactly the same thing. I had a chance to be someone else. And I never knew it was gonna be the person I was really meant to be," Han said to her. "Maybe you're supposed to be someone you haven't met yet." He stood up and went over to Leia, wrapping her in his arms, feeling her tears against his thin T shirt.

"But this is who I am!" The more Leia insisted, the less convinced she sounded.

"Leia," Han said, his voice a low, soft rumble. "We're on vacation. You're way overthinking this." He made small circles on her back, and her tears soon dissipated.

Leia took a deep breath. "There've been only two things I've been uncertain about in my life. One of them was my feelings for you, before we stopped arguing long enough to find out how we actually felt about each other."

"I think that one's a done deal," Han said reassuringly, smiling at her.

"The other is: what work should I be doing?"

"How about we sleep on it?" Han said. "We've got five more weeks here. It's not like we have to sort out life, the universe and everything tonight. Let's enjoy being in this beautiful place. What's on tap for tomorrow?"

"I promised Jaina I'd take her shopping," Leia said.

"No reason for now to think beyond that," Han assured her tenderly. "C'mon, the bed's got a great mattress. Let's go enjoy it."

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The next morning found the weary couple in bed. The alarm wasn't set, and they had finally stopped waking up believing every day was a work day! They were, however, on this morning besieged by an assault consisting of four children.

"You guys are lazy!" Jaina pronounced loudly as all of them, Jarik included, bounced onto the bed, making the adults groan.

"What time's it?" Han mumbled sleepily.

"It's already 0715!" Jacen reminded them, plopping Jarik in between them. Jarik immediately grabbed a handful of Leia's hair and stuck it in his mouth. "I think he needs changing," Jacen informed his parents. Leia's response was to stick her head beneath the pillows.

"All right, all right, I'm up!" Han replied to them, his tone grouchy. "Now if you'll all get outta here, I can get ready!" The four scurried from the room, Jacen grabbing Jarik.

"I'm up, too," Leia moaned.

"Nah, I got this one covered. Get some sleep," Han said softly to her, planting a kiss on her head.

"Thanks."

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Han put on some kaf to brew, changed Jarik, and put out the pastries Anakin and Leia had purchased the day before. They were too sweet for his tastes, but the kids were happy to eat them. Jarik liked them as well; he was, as always, making a mess of it, but as Han knew well, children could be rinsed with relative ease; the challenge was in getting them to not to be sticky. He had plenty of evidence that no matter how clean a child appeared to be, they remained sticky, especially as Jarik was moving into the toddler stage.

There was no dawdling at the table; there was beautiful water less than fifty meters from the front door and the kids were determined that they weren't going to waste any more time than necessary on breakfast.

The beach was lovely in the early morning, and less crowded than at other times of the day. The three older kids had all found 'vacation friends' to hang out with, but none were out at that moment. The waves were small, gently lapping the soft sand, and Han went out.

"I can't throw anyone this morning," Han informed them. "I have to hold Jarik."

"Aw, c'mon, make Jacen hold him!" Jaina pleaded.

"What if I don't wanna?" Jacen shot back.

"Then Anakin can do it!"

"Not me!" Anakin said as he started swimming.

"And I hold him all the time!" Jacen pointed out as he joined his younger brother.

"When's Mom gonna be up? She promised we'd go shopping today," Jaina asked Han.

"She told me you were doing that."

"Why's she so upset?" Jaina's tone was more concerned than annoyed.

"She's just trying to figure out a lot of things. Mostly with her job."

"She doesn't like her job," Jaina stated. Being Force-sensitive, this was apparent to her.

"She doesn't right now, but she's really tired, and that can sometimes make you not like something," Han explained as he dipped his youngest into the warm, clear water.

"She'll be all right. Won't she?" Jaina was not normally emotionally expressive, but her concern for her mom was very real.

"Of course she will. One of the reasons we took this vacation was so that she could get some rest. And be with you guys." Han frowned for a moment, thinking that the two statements sounded contradictory. But it was Leia, and Leia was her own person, with her own contradictions and her own way of dealing with problems. Han had every confidence in Leia.

"Hey, what's going on here?" It was Leia's voice. She was in her turquoise bikini, the one Han felt covered her up too much. She had a body that no one ever would have guessed had given birth to four children. She was curvier than she'd been when Han first met her, and it was Han's opinion that she'd never looked sexier.

Leia had put her hair into a long plait, and she was smiling, her cheeks glowing. She had some sunburn on her face, but part of the glow was from happiness.

"Hey, sweetheart, how're you doing?" Han said as he held Jarik with one arm and wrapped his other around his wife.

"I'm doing, fine, my love," Leia said. "Jaina, we've got a shopping and lunch date."

"Are you okay, Mom?" Anakin and Jacen had swum towards their mother, and Anakin was somewhat worried.

"I'm fine, honey," Leia assured her second son.

"You were crying last night," Jacen said to her.

"Sometimes that happens," Leia told him. "But I'm doing well. I think some extra sleep was something I really needed." She mouthed 'thank you' to Han, who gave her his famous grin. She couldn't see his eyes, which were hidden behind dark sunglasses, but it didn't matter.

"Mom, can we go to the zoo tomorrow?" Jacen asked. Jacen loved animals passionately.

Leia looked up at Han.

"Dad, Mom's here, she can take Jarik!" Anakin called out.

"Yeah, we want you to throw us in!" Jaina exclaimed.

"All right," Han conceded. He leaned over to whisper to Leia, "I'm down with a day at the zoo. My back and shoulders could use the break." He then grabbed Anakin, lifted him up, and tossed the boy into the water.

"C'mon, my turn!" Jaina implored.

Leia smiled at her youngest, who happily babbled to his mother. She then cast her gaze upon Han and the other children.

She really was, she decided, very blessed.


	4. Chapter 4

1

Chapter 4

Leia and Jaina had left the beach house and walked into town. The town wasn't especially large, but it had all of the trappings of a tourist mecca: overpriced souvenirs, acrobats and jugglers, and street musicians clamoring for tips from bypassers. There were food kiosks, restaurants and cantinas all over the place which, even this early in the day, were full of sentients who considered drinking all day an essential part of any vacation, a number of whom were already in the state of advanced intoxication.

"What do you want to look at?" Leia asked Jaina.

"Some clothes. And not just all pinky and purply and rainbow-y. I'm ten years old! That's baby stuff," Jaina responded. '

"I'm going to guess that a white dress isn't in that list," Leia said, smiling at her.

"Duh! Dad says you always used to wear white."

"It was expected," Leia said simply.

"So Mom, you were a real princess, right? Dad says you were," Jaina inquired.

"Yes. I was," Leia said. "White was the ceremonial color on Alderaan for women. I had a closet full of white dresses, and wore them whenever there was an official event, and there was nearly always some kind of official event."

Jaina's expression was one of horror. "Didn't you hate that?"

Leia laughed. "I would have preferred to skip a lot of them. And I could never keep my gowns clean, which made my mother and my aunts crazy. They were trying to bring me up to be a proper princess. And I had a hard time with that."

"Sounds boring."

Leia and Jaina talked as they wandered into a shop with brightly colored, tropical-themed clothing.

"Boredom didn't even begin to cover it," Leia assured her. "And do you know what was even worse?"

"You mean there's something worse?" Jaina blinked, not quite sure what to believe.

"The hair styles I used to have to wear."

"Dad said when he met you, you had like pastries on your head."

Leia threw back her head and laughed heartily. "That had to have been one of the worst! It took two hours to get it right most times and I had so many pins sticking into my head, I thought I was being stabbed!"

"How come you don't have any holos of it? You take holos of us all the time." One wall of the family flat was completely covered with them, but there were very few from before Han and Leia's wedding.

"During the war, it was dangerous to take holos. If they fell into the wrong hands, you could end up dead."

"Dad says that you and he met in the war."

"We did."

"He says it's the one good thing about the war."

"Well, there were some other things, but that was the most important," Leia agreed, a faraway look in her eyes. "I would probably never would have met your dad if the war wasn't going on."

"Why not?"

"Because your dad was doing things that were different from what I was doing."

"Like 'cause he was a smuggler?" Jaina was nothing if not direct.

"There was that," Leia conceded. "And if Alderaan was still around, I'd probably be there still."

"Would you still be a princess?" Jaina asked her.

"Probably a queen," Leia told her. "But not by choice. I don't think I've had made a very good queen."

"Why not?"

"Because...when you're royalty, your parents often decide early in your life who you're going to marry."

"But what if you don't like that person?"

"That's why I told my parents I was never going to get married."

"But you married Dad."

"I married your father because I love him. Some sentients looked down on us because your dad was, well, not the sort of person they thought I should marry."

"Just 'cause he was a pirate?"

"He wasn't a pirate. That's different from a smuggler."

"How?"

"A smuggler runs things people need but have a hard time getting and they do it for getting paid. Pirates steal instead of paying for things." Leia wasn't sure it was a good distinction, but it was the best she could come up with on short notice.

"I'm gonna try on these," Jaina announced, showing her mother a pair of shorts and a sleeveless shirt in flaming orange. The color was, to Leia, an eyesore, but she had always allowed her kids to choose their own clothes.

Jaina went to another rack and pulled out a bright green dress with deep blue and purple metallux patterns running through it. "It's got purple, but it's not baby purple," Jaina explained.

Leia liked the color combination, but kept her mouth shut. At Jaina's age, silence was the best idea, and good practice for the coming teenage years. Leia remembered how much she resented her aunts' opinions, which they hadn't been shy about vocalizing.

Jaina gathered a few more items, and headed off for the changing rooms. Leia used to accompany her, but Jaina was fiercely independent, and Leia wanted to encourage that, just as long as it didn't lead to a life of crime. Granted, there were some designers that were in criminally bad taste, and she'd been a victim of a few of them growing up.

The dress was on the short side, and the sleevelss top and shorts were even worse on Jaina than off, but Leia said nothing. Her job was to hand over the credit chit and say thank you. Jaina, for her part, was delighted with her purchases.

"How come you didn't get something for yourself?" Jaina asked her as they departed the store.

"I have a lot of clothes already," Leia said truthfully.

"Yeah, but they're like, you know, clothes that you wear to work. How come you don't get something fun?"

Leia stopped to think about that. She was wearing comfortable clothes, yes, but Jaina was right.

"I suppose I could, but I'm hungry. How about you?" Leia asked her only daughter.

"Starved! Can we get fish tacones?"

"I'm sure we'll have no trouble finding a place that serves them."

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There was, in fact, a surfeit of eateries that offered fish tacones. They found one that served them just the way Leia and Jaina liked them: deep fried in a Corellian ale batter, shredded vegetables and a white sauce that had a pleasant taste, and handmade soft shells. Each had a giant, sweet fizzy drink to go with it. This was a day Leia had wanted with Jaina for so very long, and she was enjoying every nanosecond of it.

"So Mom, do you miss work?" Jaina asked.

"No," Leia said, and realized how true it was. "I'm going to have to go back after vacation, but right now, this is our time."

"Can't someone else do your job?" Jaina whined.

Leia was stunned. It was as if Jaina had said something so simple, so obvious, that he hadn't been able to see it.

"Perhaps I could teach other beings," Leia responded cautiously. "But that would take time."

"You mean no one else knows how to do your job?" Jaina was openly skeptical.

"It's not that. It's more than knowing how to do your job. It's...it's about what people think of you. If they think you can be trusted. Beings...trust me. Well, a lot of them do." Leia was trying to express the concepts of integrity and visibility, that were necessary for her work.

"I trust you," Jaina pronounced. "I just wish you were around more. I liked it when you were off when you had Jarik. I know he's a baby and he needed you lots, but I could see you every day."

"I liked that, too," Leia admitted. "And we've still got almost five standard weeks left to enjoy."

"Where did you learn to do your job?" Jaina asked. "I mean, we go to school and learn stuff. Did you?"

"I didn't go to school. I had tutors."

"You mean you had no friends?!" Jaina was horrified.

"Your Aunt Winter studied with me. We were always busy. And it wasn't just schoolwork like you and your brothers do. We had to learn dancing, and fencing, and protocol and etiquette, and I can't even remember what else, but we were being taught from early in the morning till dinnertime. Between dinnertime and bedtime, Winter and I studied for the next day."

Jaina scrunched her nose. "That's horrible!" she exclaimed. "It had to be so boring!"

"Some of it was," Leia agreed. "I got to learn more things as I got older, and some of them were more interesting, but by the time I was fifteen, I was a member of the Imperial Senate. So I didn't have a lot of time to be a kid. We want you and your brothers to have that chance."

"So that's why you won't let us go to Praxium till we're fifteen?" Jaina asked. "Uncle Luke really wants us to go."

"You're Force sensitive now, you won't lose it by then," Leia reminded her. "There's no rush."

The fish tacones were soon gone, along with the drinks. "So Mom, are you gonna get something fun to wear?" Jaina asked her.

"Lead the way," Leia said, smiling as her only daughter took her hand.

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	5. Chapter 5

1

Chapter 5

Leia couldn't remember when she'd enjoyed Jaina's company the way she had today.

Jaina felt victorious; Leia had chosen two dresses that said 'vacation' as opposed to yelling 'work!' Both were mother-tested and kid-approved.

"I think you should wear the aqua one first!" Jaina opined as she and Leia walked back to the beach house.

"I think I will, then!" Leia said, smiling at her daughter and flinging her arm over Jaina's shoulder. "I hope you had as much fun as I did."

"Probably more," Jaina grinned. "I wanna swim when we get back!"

"I'm ready for the beach myself," Leia agreed.

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Arriving at the beach house, Leia and Jaina found Han, Jacen and Anakin deep in a game of sabacc. Jacen had clearly just won something.

"Got the hand pot!" Jacen exclaimed.

"Teaching the boys sabacc?" Leia said to her husband, leaning over to kiss him.

"Survival skills," Han assured her.

"I'm guessing Jarik needed a nap," Leia said.

"Yeah, well, we needed some time inside. Someone forgot his sun cream," Han pointed to Anakin. Jacen had Han's coloring, which meant that he tanned well, but Anakin's skin tone was that of his mother's. He now sported skin that rivaled the red of Leia's Tandgor gem engagement ring.

"You'll need some bacta gel before you go out again," Leia pointed out to Anakin.

"So doesn't anyone want to see what I got?" Jaina asked.

"We're almost done with this round, sweetie," Han assured his daughter. "Then you can show us everything."

Jarik was either no longer tired or had a sense of the noise in the living room, because he was calling 'Mama! Dada!' from his crib.

"Sounds like someone's awake," Leia said, leaving the rest of the Y-chromosome contingent to finish their game. Jaina retreated to the 'fresher in the loft, presumably to put on a swimsuit. Leia went and picked her baby son from his crib. "Hi little man," Leia said to the little boy, who was gnawing on the rail of the crib. He was standing up. Pretty soon he was going to be walking. He was already crawling at light speed; Leia had a feeling that before this vacation was over, little Jarik was going to be fully mobile and completely dangerous. He looked just like Han – his given first name was Han, but for purposes of distinguishing them, Jarik's middle name was used.

Jarik had been completely unplanned. Leia had been aghast upon finding out that she was expecting again, but Jarik really was a joy. Leia had been off for three months with him, the longest maternity leave she'd ever taken. He was the only one of her babies that she hadn't needed to take to work with her. He wasn't Force-sensitive, and Leia was glad he'd never have to deal with that burden. To her mind, the Force was a double edged lightsaber. It had the power for good, but it could be warped into something horrifying. Of course, not being Force-sensitive did not automatically mean his life would be less complicated, but right now, he was a baby becoming a toddler; a lively, energetic little boy who was usually smiling and laughing. Leia had mothered three other children; she knew better what she was doing than she had the first time or even the second. He not only looked like Han; he acted like him.

"Or maybe he acts like you," Leia said as she changed him and got him into his swimwear, both mother and son laughing. They emerged and followed Han, Jaina, Jacen and Anakin to the beach. The late afternoon sun was warm and golden, and clear turquoise water beckoned them once again. The three older kids had found their vacation friends and hastened to join them, leaving Han, Leia and Jarik to relax in the water on their own.

"I wish Threepio was here," Leia commented.

"Are you kidding? Goldenrod makes me crazy!" Han exclaimed.

"But he watches the kids for us at times," Leia pointed out. "I was thinking of a romantic shellfish dinner with good wine, at a restaurant where people don't bring their kids."

"I like that," Han said. "There must be somewhere we can comm to get a minder for the kids. There was a flimsi that came with the house rules saying where we could find one."

"Do we want a human, humanoid or droid?"

"Whoever will suffer the least amount of damage," Han said dryly.

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Several comms later, a near human was hired to take the job.

The initial response from the younger Solos ranged from disgruntled to hostile.

"Jacen and me are ten years old! We don't need a minder!" Jaina protested loudly.

"I take care of Jarik all the time!" Jacen complained.

"They're not gonna make me go to bed early like Threepio does, are they?" Anakin whined.

"We're old enough to stay by ourselves!" Jaina said, stamping her foot.

Han held up his hands in an attempt to maintain some semblance of order. "Settle down!" he shouted at the kids. Han didn't raise his voice often, and the kids tended to mind immediately when he did.

"Okay, here it is: one, we're not at home. Chewie's not here and neither is Threepio." Han refrained from adding, thank the gods after Threepio was mentioned. "We have a high security building at home. Here, there's nothing like that. It's just us."

"I like it that way, too," Jaina muttered.

"I like it this way, too, but your mom and I want you to be safe. You know we don't let you swim without your mom or me there. Not because you can't swim, but because if there's an emergency, we can help."

"We're not gonna have any emergencies," Jacen grumbled. "It's great here!"

"Can we stay here forever?" Anakin asked plaintively.

"We still live on Coruscant," Han informed him, more than a little bit of regret in his voice.

"So what's the big deal that you have to go out?" Jacen asked unhappily.

"Every once in a while, Mom and Dad just need to be alone."

"Why?" demanded Jaina.

"Because we need to. Now your mom and I are going out for dinner and the minder should be here in two hours. We expect you to behave yourselves and not torment the minder too much."

That, Han realized too late, was probably the wrong thing to say. They were his children, and they were likely to consider his admonition a dare.

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The child minder arrived promptly at the designated time. It was a female near-human, and to Han, she looked vaguely familiar. Then again, he'd been all over the galaxy, and a lot of sentients looked vaguely familiar.

Leia was still in the 'fresher, putting the finishing touches on her hair, when the sentient joined them.

"C'mon in, I'll introduce you to the kids." The sound of the four of them roughhousing from the loft was evident; loud voices and laughter emanated to the small living room. "Guys! C'mon down!"

"In a minute!" Jacen called out.

"No, now!" Han retorted.

"By the way, I'm Brendahl," the being said, extending her hand to Han, "and I'll just go up and meet them. They're having fun and I don't want to spoil it."

"You know, they can get pretty loud," Han warned.

"So can some adults," Brendahl pointed out in a slightly tart manner. Han felt good about her; she seemed to have the right kind of personality to deal with his and Leia's offspring.

The kids followed Brendahl downstairs; Han had heard her suggest that they should at least say goodbye to their parents before they went out. Han had heard Jaina tell Brendahl that she was ten and didn't need a minder. Brendahl had said, "Of course you don't. But perhaps we could be friends."

Point in Brendahl's favor, Han thought.

Leia had emerged from the 'fresher, her hair clipped but not put up. Han loved it when she wore her hair down. She wore a simple summer dress in deep red with a white flower print, and she had applied some lipstick, but was otherwise free of cosmetics. Han had always hated heavy makeup on women; he often said that a trowel was the wrong instrument for applying it and he'd seen it far too often.

"Brendahl, this is Leia, my wife," Han said, draping his arm over Leia's shoulder.

Brendahl's eyes lit up. "Now I know where I've seen you!"

"We're trying to escape the holotabloids every chance we get," Leia said wryly.

"No, no, I meant your husband! He was the winner in a sabacc tournament on Bespin that I played in about two years before the war! That was you, wasn't it?"

"That's how I won my ship!" Han said happily. "Do you still play?"

"Oh, absolutely," Brendahl said happily. "In fact, I do child care in order to raise my entry fees for certain tournaments." She smiled at Leia. "I was actually out of the running early on in that tournament, but since then, my skills have improved."

"Dad's teaching us how to play!" Anakin said happily.

"Well, then, I think we should do just that," Brendahl said, grinning. She turned to Han and Leia. "Would it be all right if we used your deck?"

"Have at it," Han said. Hugs and kisses were exchanged all around, and Han and Leia then slipped out the door. There was a full moon, and the night was pleasantly warm. It would be a perfect night to dine outdoors.

"I think this minder can handle our kids," Leia said, and it was clear to Han that she was relaxed. "Not that I'd like our kids to become professional gamblers. But one night of playing sabacc isn't going to make that happen."

"I think she's got the situation under control," Han said, smiling at her, her arm in his. "I don't know about you, but I'm starving."

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"This is wonderful," Leia said as she and Han were seated at a table overlooking the water. The breeze was light and gentle, and the moonlight and candlelight cast soft shadows over both of their faces. They were more relaxed than they had been in so many years.

"I think the best part of being here is that while people know who we are, they really don't care," Han said happily. "We've managed two weeks with no holorazzi hassling us." In fact, there were several families of note staying in the same general location as the Solos, and they, too, were enjoying privacy they rarely experienced.

"I imagine that there's an unspoken rule about leaving vacationers alone," Leia agreed. "It's always wonderful to find a place like that. They're certainly rare enough."

"And the fact that most places have at least two Barabels or Drednoughts guarding the door probably doesn't hurt," Han added. Neither had seen any of them in action, but they were certain that anyone trying to violate a patron's privacy would be dealt with severely. "The tournament Brendahl was talking about? I nearly got killed by a very angry female Barabel. She accused me of cheating, which, for once, I wasn't doing."

Leia chuckled. "I've always said that you have a way with people."

"If it wasn't for Chewie, I'd have been a stain on the floor."

"I'm glad Chewie's finally getting a break with his own family. It has to be hard to be away so much," Leia said. A server had almost invisibly handed them menus and took their drink orders, then whisked away before they could see him again.

"The life-debt is the highest honor for a Wookiee. When Jarik Solo – the first one, of course - attended Chewie and Malla's wedding, I told them that Chewie could be removed from his obligations to me. Malla nearly took my head off. It was an insult to suggest that Chewie not honor his life-debt. And we know how upset Wookiees can get."

"I've witnessed this," Leia reminded him. "And it wasn't pretty." Both laughed.

"We should take the kids for Life Day sometime," Han said, while simultaneously perusing the menu. "It's great fun."

"It is, and it's a lovely remembrance and renewal," Leia added. "Which is what this trip is turning out to be, and I'm so grateful for that." She gave Han a radiant smile as the candlelight flickered gently across her features.

"I have to say that I'm having one of the best times I've ever had, and as you know, I've had a lot of good times. Lotta bad ones, but more good ones than I probably deserve," Han said, taking one of his wife's hands into his, squeezing it gently. "I haven't spent a lot of time on Corellia, and I know it's a vacation, but in a weird way, it feels like home."

The server floated to their table, asking what they'd enjoy for appetizers, took their order, and again disappeared silently.

"The South Continent is indeed beautiful," Leia said. Other parts of the Corellian system were not so picturesque; Han's family had originally been from Tralus, and Tralus was fully industrialized. Leia had been there a lot; after the defeat of the Empire, economic conditions on Tralus had deteriorated precipitously. Leia had worked very hard with the best economic advisers and the galaxy's major banks in order to have them retool; things were far from perfect, but they were a vast improvement over conditions at the end of the war. Unemployment continued to decrease.

"Kids love it here," Han agreed. "Anakin asked me if we could stay here forever."

A shadow passed over Leia's face. "What did you tell him?"

"That Coruscant is home." The appetizers were served, and the two dug into them and the hot rolls that accompanied them with gusto.

"I know how he feels," Leia said. "I have to say that I'm sick of Coruscant. I hate how crowded it is. I hate how commercialized everything is, and how artificial so much of it feels."

"Yeah, but it'd be hard to do your job if you didn't live there," Han reminded her. He despised Coruscant in many ways himself. He did like that it had a lively music scene and good restaurants, that the spaceport was the most modern and well-equipped in the galaxy, and that it was ethnically diverse. Chewie didn't face discrimination living there, something that was important to Han and Leia. But the traffic and the noise got to him at times. The worst was that Leia was always available to take care of the next crisis, and he knew that she was worn down by it.

"I don't even want to think about my job for a while. Right now, my mind is on a big, tender Thralian lobster that should be coming out soon." Her smile was radiant. "And the chocolate lava cake for dessert."

Han smiled back. He agreed that there would be plenty of time to discuss work after they left. Leia was right; this was time to be in the now.


	6. Chapter 6

1

Chapter 6

When Han and Leia arrived back at the beach house, it was extremely quiet.

"I wonder if Brendahl's been tied up and gagged," Han muttered as they made their way to the door.

Their answer was apparent when the stepped indoors. Brendahl was watching a null-g polo match on one of the sports channels and consulting a datapad, checking her bets.

"How was your dinner?" the blue-haired Askajian woman asked.

"Incredible," was Leia's response. "How were the kids?"

"Oh, they're wonderful, just wonderful! And that little Anakin of yours, he's going to be quite the sabacc player!"

"He does like card games," Han said.

"Oh, he's very talented at it. Of course I won—children don't respect you if you let them win—but I refused to take their credits. And all of them developed some new strategies!"

"And Jarik?" Leia inquired, laughing. "How was he at sabacc?"

Brendahl laughed. "He's such an adorable little boy! He's going to be walking any minute now. I can't believe how fast he can move! But he seemed tired shortly after I arrived, so Jacen and I bathed him and he's been sleeping soundly ever since."

"So you like null-g polo?" Han asked.

"Only for the betting!" Brendahl smiled. "I really did have a wonderful evening with your children and would love to do it again. They're so intelligent and well-mannered and cooperative! Please do keep me in mind!"

Han had paid her at the start of the night, as was the agency's policy, so no credits changed hands.

"Thanks, Brendahl," Han said. "Good luck at your next tournament."

"Oh, that's not till next month on Tatooine! Ghastly place, but has some of the best sabacc in the galaxy! I hope to see you soon!" She disappeared through the door.

Han looked at Leia. "Intelligent, well-mannered, cooperative? We'd better check their beds to make sure that she didn't switch the kids with another family's."

"Very funny. But the last time I checked, they were intelligent," Leia reminded him.

"That they definitely are. But the other two? I don't know about you, but I'm suspicious."

The two embraced each other and kissed, softly at first, then a little more passionately.

"We had a romantic dinner," Han whispered in the low, soft voice that always made Leia shiver with delight, and nibbled her earlobe.

"Yes, we did." Leia began to unbutton Han's shirt.

"Let's have a romantic dessert."

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The next morning saw everyone preparing for the trip to the zoo. The zoo on the South Continent was renowned throughout the galaxy for its huge numbers and diverse selection of species, its beautiful recreation of habitats, and its humane treatment of its inhabitants. Jacen was the most thrilled of the four, but everyone was very excited as well and were refusing breakfast in the name of getting there fast.

"I suppose they can have pastry and fruit once we get there," Leia said to Han.

"I'd say let's grab something on the way, but I think the speeder rental wants the vehicle returned without food and beverages spilled and crammed into every available space," Han winced, thinking about what was stuck to the speeder at home. It was never washed enough, cleaned out even less, and probably had microorganisms taking up residence. He was fastidious with the _Falcon_, but he could afford to be; the kids didn't fly in it that much. Both his and Leia's speeders were always a mess.

It was slightly over a standard hour to the zoo. One of the most delightful things about the South Continent was that outside of the capital city, traffic was negligible. It felt wonderful to open up the engine and let the speeder fly; it was exciting enough that the three older kids had stopped arguing with each other. They had argued far less than usual the entire trip, and the ones they were having were minimal compared to some of the ones that took place back at home. Jarik and Leia enjoyed it as well, both laughing, Leia throwing her head back as if she was as young as Jaina. The entire time they'd been on Corellia, the sun had shone brightly, and it had revitalized the young, very busy family.

For Han, it wasn't just the sun; he was basking in the joy of love and family. Until he'd met Leia, he'd never dreamed, not at any serious level, that it could happen to him. Once she was there, he saw his life for what it really was: floating about aimlessly and calling it freedom, amusing himself and calling it fulfillment.

There were days when you were just glad to be alive, Han thought, and this was one of them.

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The zoo lived up to its advertising. What was the most amazing part, however, was how the animals all seemed to respond to Jacen. He would make a subtle motion, or say something very softly, and without fail, the creatures would walk over or play.

"It's like I can feel what they feel," Jacen said to his mother.

Leia smiled. It was nice to know that Jacen's Force sensitivity encompassed this gift. It was something positive. Jacen had always been the quietest child, content to allow his sister to be the dominant twin. Anakin's sociability was in sharp contrast to Jacen's introversion. There was a sweetness to Jacen that the other two lacked, and a vulnerability that worried Leia and Han. They loved that about their son, but they worried that he could be easily influenced towards things and people that would not do him well.

But that was out of mind for the moment. Jacen was clearly in his element, and his siblings were awed and respectful.

Han and Jacen swapped carrying Jarik on their shoulders. Leia and Han had brought his pram, but he lost patience with it as the day went on, and for a lot of the visit, he had the best seat there ever was.

"They're great kids," Han said to Leia as they walked slightly behind the four. "Sometimes I still have to pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming."

"Trust me, those middle of the night feedings and changings were very real," Leia assured him.

"So tell me when the exhaustion ends," Han joked.

Leia tossed her head back and laughed. "I think when they're fifty. Maybe."

"Great," Han remarked. But one of the things he was enjoying most about the trip was how relaxed Leia was. He hadn't seen her like this in a long time and it was helping him unwind, too. He'd been worried that Leia would feel guilty about being away from work for so long and would plug in her datapads and read her comms and fret over what wasn't getting done. But she'd left all of her datapads that weren't trashy novels at home. She had color in her face and the dark circles under her eyes had vanished. She laughed freely, she joked with him and the kids, she reveled in the sun, sand and water.

The kids were happy, too. They didn't argue much, they played hard, and every night, they were completely exhausted, meaning no bedtime arguments, either. Their sabacc skills were improving. Leia had mixed feelings about that last one, but she'd hold them in check until they returned home.

She was starting to realize that some things could be postponed.

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The day ended with each kid carrying a new shirt and stuffed animal and their parents walking on aching feet. They should have known; with Jacen, there were no animals that could go unseen. Every mammal, fish, bird, reptile and amphibian had to be visited.

"I do heavy lifting all the time, but this is above my pay grade," Han muttered to Leia as he handed over the last credit chit of the night. "I think the last time my feet were this tired was the reception line at our wedding."

"That day, I thought my face was going to freeze into an idiot smile for the rest of my natural life," Leia said, carrying a nearly sleeping Jarik against her shoulder. Her smile was anything but the one she pasted on for diplomats and others she dealt with. Today, her smile was natural and unforced.

The three older kids shuffled into the rental speeder, with barely a word exchanged. Han fired up the speeder and by the time he'd opened the throttle, all four children had gone to sleep, and Leia was nodding off. Fortunately, the cool evening air reinvigorated Han and he adored cruising along at land speeds he could only dream about on Coruscant.

It felt good being on Corellia. Han didn't have the happiest memories of the planet–at least until now. Granted, he knew the beach wasn't the workaday world of much of Corellia, but even there, there were still natural plants, trees, grass, and seasons. You could walk outside at night and it wasn't lit like daytime. There were places where the noise level was lower than deafening.

He'd always hated Coruscant, but he knew that Leia needed to be there, and he'd gone there willingly. They had a lovely new flat, one where they (almost) didn't stumble over each other, although in terms of child detritus, it had only gotten worse. _Nature abhors a vacuum_, Han thought, and reflected on his five sleeping passengers with a smile.

He was the husband and father, and he would do whatever his family needed. And always would. He just hoped he'd be able to get all five of them into bed.

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The next day, everyone slept late. Leia made pancakes and fruit for breakfast. Her cooking had vastly improved over time. No one feared for his or her life when she was in the kitchen these days. She'd actually been a decent cook for some time now, although her early culinary overtures were fodder for a great deal of humor, usually when Han and Luke were drunk.

Leia didn't find it nearly as entertaining as they did.

They all headed for the beach, and to their parents' surprise, the kids were not demanding to be tossed into the water. Han and Leia took turns watching Jarik and helping the others to build sandcastles. Leia found herself building ones that looked like the palace grounds on Alderaan, and Han's resembled...well, Jabba's palace. Leia was strangely amused. Of course, Han hadn't been around palaces very much growing up.

Leia mused on the four out there with Han while Jarik slept on her shoulder.

Maybe, she thought, maybe I should start considering an exit strategy.


	7. Chapter 7

1

Chapter 7

Thanks to having access to all sorts of information, Leia had been able to determine what Han's exact date of birth was. It was in the middle of summer, and being on vacation was, at least in the children's minds, was the best time of all for a celebration.

Jaina and Leia went shopping for kavasa tarts; they were one of the few sweets Han enjoyed. There were plenty of bakeries, and they went from one to another and sampled from each store until they'd found the perfect ones.

"Dad's gonna be so happy," Jaina said cheerfully as they walked back to the beach house. "Even if he's real old."

"Honey, your dad is only going to be forty-six, and trust me, that's not old," Leia scolded her gently. "And if you tell him that, you're on your own."

"How are we gonna get forty-six candles on twelve tarts?" Jaina asked.

"We'll figure it out," Leia assured her. "Now let's get some ice dots and some more of his favorite ale, and then we're done."

"Can't we try out some more pastries? We didn't have anything chocolate!" Jaina appealed.

Leia paused for a moment. "You're right. We haven't had anything chocolate. Let's get some lava cake."

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There was a huge banner the kids had made that screamed 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!' hanging off at least half the available wall space in the living room, so that Han saw it every time he walked through there.

The whole birthday thing was disconcerting to Han. For the longest time, he knew he'd been born in the summertime, but he had no idea as to the real date, until Leia had found it.

'

When he was young, he swore that if he ever found out his actual birthdate, he would drink himself senseless. There was no one who had cared enough for him to celebrate it with. But all that had changed when he met a certain princess.

What it really was, he realized, was that the party was for the kids. They loved celebrating birthdays, each other's, their parents, aunt's, uncle's, and friends.' He knew how happy it made his children to be able to enjoy it, and he was determined to do the same.

Jarik had grown tired, and Han put him in for a nap. He didn't like dragging his older sons out of the water, but he didn't have a choice, since he had to stay inside with the baby.

"You guys up for some sabacc?" He asked Anakin and Jacen.

"Sure, but do we have to let you win 'cause it's your birthday?" Anakin asked teasingly.

"You especially don't have to let me win because it's my birthday," Han assured them. "Anakin, your deal."

Anakin was growing very fond of the game. _That should probably worry me a little_, Han thought-but it was vacation, the stakes were small, and it was fun.

It occurred to Han that he'd probably spent more time with his sons in the past three weeks than he had in the three previous months. Normally, it was homework and baths and toys all over the place and getting everyone to meals when they were served.

He'd forgotten what great people his sons really were. Jaina was learning to pilot, so she got the lion's share of his free time–and there wasn't much of it. He'd have to remember to take time with them.

It didn't hurt that their sabacc skills were improving rapidly, but the best part was finding out what the kids liked, disliked, and thought about- things he tended to miss because his and Leia's lives were so busy.

He was wondering what Leia was thinking at this point. She hadn't said much about what would happen after their vacation; she was determined to stay in the present and love every moment of family time. He'd have to call for Brendahl and get Leia out for another dinner with just the two of them.

"So Dad, you're forty-six," Anakin said.

"Don't remind me," Han muttered, looking at the hand he'd been dealt.

"Is that old?" Anakin asked.

"People have died for less," Han warned him.

"Anakin! Dad's not old!" Jacen chided him.

"You said he was," Anakin pointed out.

"Did not!"

"Okay, guys, knock it off, or you won't like what happens," Han warned them.

Jacen groaned slightly. "Fold."

Anakin grinned.

"Okay, guys, this is important," Han told them. "Every player has what's called a 'tell.' What it is, it's how other players can figure out what you're holding. It's important to get that under control."

"Why?" Jacen asked skeptically.

"Because you never want to let the opposition know what you've got. Jacen, you always look upset when you've got a bad hand. You frown. Anakin, you get bad cards and you're fine, but get a good hand, and you might as well shout it to the entire galaxy. You need to learn to cultivate a neutral expression."

"What's a neutral expression?" Anakin asked.

"One where you don't smile, or frown, where you don't make any noises at all."

"Can we breathe?" Jacen asked his father with more than a few notes of inherited sarcasm.

"Just do it quietly," Han responded dryly.

"So...how do you do that?" Jacen asked, some annoyance in his voice.

"You practice. You've folded for this hand. I could tell that before you even said it. Anakin, no doubt, thinks he's got a hand that could beat mine."

Anakin put his cards out. Nineteen.

Han followed suit. Seventeen.

"Now stay quiet, don't get excited, just keep it calm," Han told him.

"Y'know, Dad, I'm not planning on being a gambler when I grow up," Jacen told him.

"I'm glad to hear that, but this is how you play the game."

"I wanna be a gambler. What's a gambler?" Anakin asked.

"When you play games for money."

"Uncle Luke says I have to be a Jedi knight," Jacen complained.

"Uncle Luke says a lot of things. Okay, we're playing another hand."

The door opened, with Leia and Jaina carrying heavy shopping bags.

"You're gonna have a great birthday lunch!" Jaina announced happily. She then looked over at the table. "Can I play?"

"Sure, we'll deal you in," Han told her.

Leia smiled as she watched them playing with Han. Who would have ever guessed that the uncommitted smuggler would have embraced the largest commitments life had to offer? And embrace them he did. Literally, and figuratively.

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After Jarik woke up, the family enjoyed a birthday lunch of nerfburgers, grilled tubers, kavasa tarts, chocolate lava cake, and some chocolate truffles that Leia adored. Jaina had talked her into buying them, and it was an unwritten rule that the Solo children must be hopped up on sweets for it to be a real birthday celebration. There were plenty of homemade cards from the kids, and Leia knew that he stored every single card they'd ever made him in one of the spice smuggling bins.

Leia informed the kids that she and their father were going to take a short walk along the beach.

"But we wanna go swimming!" Jaina complained.

"We're not going to be gone long," Leia told them. Neither of the adults were in their swimwear. Han was clad in a dark shirt and some baggy shorts that went below his knees, and Leia was wearing a loose shirt and a sarong. "And no one goes near the water until we're back. Understood?"

Jacen was playing with Jarik, and Jaina and Anakin relieved their disappointment by playing Grand Theft Star Destroyer: Smugglers' Moon. They'd brought it on the trip and it had barely been touched. And it wouldn't hurt them to be out of the sun for a while. It would be a short walk; Leia had other things planned for later that as of this point, Han had no idea about. It brought a sly smile to her lips, knowing that he was bound to like it. A lot.

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"How does this birthday rate?" Leia asked Han playfully as they walked along the shore, his arm around her shoulders, hers around his waist. They claimed they were a perfect fit, and anyone watching would have been loath to disagree.

"Well, considering that last year I was taking you and your delegation to an emergency meeting on Dantooine and I ended up getting disgustingly drunk, I think this one is pretty good." He winked at her. "Actually, it's a lot better than pretty good." He pulled Leia in a little closer.

"Believe me, I didn't blame you for getting drunk; I wish I could have done the same," Leia said to him. "That had to be one of the worst missions I've experienced in my entire career, and I've had plenty of bad ones. I'd been hoping we could get away for a romantic dinner, but with Mon Mothma insisting we had to keep the delegation together, it didn't exactly go the way I'd planned."

"Yeah, well, at least I could have stayed sober." Their eyes met and they both said, "Naah!" They laughed as they walked along the wet sand, the warm water lapping their ankles. "You're lucky I didn't shove them out into a black hole."

"I almost wish you had," Leia said. "I've been thinking."

"Unlike me, you're very good at that," Han said, smiling.

"Oh, shut up! I'm being serious." Leia turned her head to look up at her husband.

"So are you going to tell me what you're thinking?"

"Well...I haven't made any major decisions yet."

"But you are thinking of making one," Han perceived correctly.

"What I'm thinking came from something that the twins said to me," Leia went on. "They said, so teach someone else to do your job. And it was so obvious that I never considered it."

Han listened intently as they walked.

"I want to grow a new generation of diplomats. More and more worlds are democratically electing leaders and abandoning royalty, and I personally think that's a positive trend. But royal and noble families are traditionally where the diplomatic corps were drawn from, and they were educated for that job, that life. It's a whole new galaxy, Han. And it's time to move forward."

"I think it's a great idea," Han told her sincerely.

"I think it would have to be university level education, but I could design a curriculum. Don't forget that my mother was the minister of education on Alderaan." She smiled at the memory. "It would take a few years. But I'm thinking that that's my exit strategy."

"That's a great idea. Especially since none of our kids are particularly diplomatic," Han laughed. "Seriously, I think you've seen the future. You've done more than any hundred sentients to build this New Republic. You have a lot of experience to share, and you can give them the same gift you gave me a long time ago."

Leia frowned a bit, puzzled by his comment.

He smiled at her. "You gave me the future."


	8. Chapter 8

1**CAN WE STAY HERE FOREVER? **

**Chapter 8**

_Note: _This chapter was written by 2Old4This2. I've been agonizingly busy at work and she stepped in and did what I consider to be a most excellent job! So thank you, 2Old4This2!

Han's head jerked up when he heard the door chime. "Who's that?" he asked.

"Brendahl, I hope." Leia glanced at the chronometer embedded in the holovid display. The Askajian woman was nothing if not punctual. Leia had guessed that Han's birthday festivities with the children would be over by 17:00, and had asked Brendahl to come shortly afterward. The chrono read 17:15.

"Why'd you call her? Did she forget something here?" Han rose politely as Leia went to the door, but his forehead was crinkled in confusion. He'd been planning on calling her so that he and Leia could have some alone time, but he hadn't yet…

"No, she didn't forget anything; I asked her to come." Leia loved her husband as much as it was possible to love anyone. Somehow, she found him especially endearing when he was clueless. The sounds of a loud thump, and angry shout, and baby Jarik's squeal ought to have given him a clue, however.

"Well, then why…?" Han never had a chance to finish as Brendahl stepped into the house.

"Happy birthday." The Askajian nodded to Han. "How's my timing?" she asked Leia.

"Just perfect!" Leia answered as a shrill shriek from Anakin rang through the house.

"Sugar, gotta love it!" Brendahl agreed soberly. "Don't worry, a little time at Danno's will have them burning it off."

"Thank you so much for doing this, Brendahl." Leia reached out and squeezed the other woman's shoulder. "You're sure your okay with this?" Leia asked her. "You're going to have them for quite a while."

"Have them?" Han interrupted. "Have who? The kids?"

"They're great kids, and I still love going to Danno's," Brendahl carried on as if she hadn't heard Han. "First there are the games: tug-o-war, model speeder races, whack the womprat. Then there's dinner, greasy cheese pies." She smiled. "Nothing that's good for you! Then there's a sing-a-long. Lots of fun."

"Wait a minute! What's going on?" Han looked at Leia; she ignored him, a devilish grin lighting her face.

"I've packed a bag with Jarik's things." Leia reached into a pocket and pulled out a keycard. "And if you can just get them to bed when you get back." She paused for a moment, obviously considering logistics. "They should be good and tired," Leia said hopefully. "I think we'll skip baths for tonight."

"Should I knock first?" Brendahl asked, her own mischievous smile complimenting Leia's.

"Don't worry, I'll keep it in the bedroom," Leia assured her.

"Kids!" the Askajian called up to the loft. "Want to come on an adventure with me?"

"STOP!" Han bellowed. Three curious faces looked down from the loft. "Just stop," their father repeated in a more normal tone of voice. "Someone needs to tell me what's going on," he demanded.

Leia stood on tiptoe to kiss her husband's cheek. The three older children pounded down the stairs, Jacen carrying Jarik, who he passed on to Brendahl. With shouted goodbyes, they tumbled out the door and into Brendahl's waiting speeder van.

Leia's lips moved from Han's cheek to his ear. Her tongue flicked out, teasing the lobe, before she whispered, "Happy birthday, Captain Solo."

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Though they'd walked along the beach right after lunch, this time, they were able to do it without worrying about the kids.

"I love my kids," Leia assured Han as they walked along the beach."And this vacation has been wonderful, better than I ever dreamed it could be. But," she smiled conspiratorially up at her husband, "every once in a while Mommy needs a little time alone with Daddy."

"Can't argue with that," Han answered, a bemused smile on his face. His birthday had taken a turn he hadn't expected, and the expression on his face reflected his surprise. Instead of an evening spent watching the kids bounce off the walls from a sugar high, he was walking along the beach, holding hands with his wife, while the sun set over the turquoise blue waters.

Leia was wearing what she knew was Han's favorite of all of her swimsuits; a very tiny bikini, made of a shiny gold fabric that she knew reminded Han of the outfit she'd worn during her one day as Jabba the Hutt's slave dancer. She knew, intellectually, that she shouldn't pander to her husband's lewd fantasies, but the inevitable result of wearing said bikini definitely outweighed the unintentional objectification. In other words, she was glad Han thought she looked hot when she wore it—and when he got her out of it!

"Let's go for a swim," Leia suggested. She spread the blanket she'd been carrying out on the pink sand, then tossed two towels on top of it. She tugged at his hand.

"The sun is going down," Han pointed out. "It'll be dark soon."

"So we can swim by moonlight. There are three moons, and they should all be out tonight." Her tug grew more insistent. "I checked."

Han looked her up and down, his crooked grin growing. "Race you!" he called, as he ran for the surf, Leia close on his heels. They dove into the waves together, then surfaced, locked in a tight embrace. As the water swirled around them, they kissed, gently at first, then more passionately—touching and tasting—as the waves crashed onto the sand.

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"**I don't think I've ever seen anything more beautiful," Leia said reverently, as she watched the last of Corellia's three moons rise over the ocean.**

"I have," Han said. "You."

"Nicely played, Flyboy." They sat together on the blanket, their bodies just touching. Even though they had staked their claim in a relatively secluded section, it was still a public beach. Neither of the pair really wanted to give an unintentional biology lesson to someone else's child.

"Hey, I mean it!"

"I know you do." Leia ran her fingers down Han's back, delighting in his involuntary shiver. "Enjoying your birthday so far, Captain?" she asked him.

"Uh huh."

"Good. Let's go back to the house." Leia rose gracefully from the blanket and grabbed one of the towels, fastening it sarong style around her hips. "I'm hungry."

"So am I." Han stood next to her, running his hands down her sides to her hips. He bent to kiss her.

"I meant for food!" Leia objected. She grabbed the blanket, shook off at least some of the sand, and tossed it over her arm. She started walking back the way they'd come; the light from the three moons illuminating the sand with a silvery-pink glow.

"How can you be hungry, after all the food we ate with the kids?" Han asked, grabbing her free hand. "Really?"

"I think I we burned off most of it while we were swimming. Besides," Leia looked up at her husband, a seductive look on her face, "I plan on burning off some more before the night is over."

Han responded with a lopsided smile as he squeezed her hand.

His steps slowed as they approached the beach house. Lights glowed softly from every window.

"It looks like Brendahl brought the kids back earlier than you'd expected." Disappointment was evident in Han's voice. "I hope the kids didn't cause her any trouble."

"Well, let's go in and see what's going on." In the dark, Leia knew Han couldn't see the smile on her face.

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**They found the beach house empty…and immaculate. **Han actually looked around to make sure their belongings were still in situ. Then his nose twitched, in the same manner as Chewie's did when he scented food. Leia laughed.

"This is amazing," her husband said, even as he followed his nose. On the balcony was an elegant laid out supper of local shellfish, breads and cheeses, and fruits—a few coated in dark chocolate. Next to table, a bottle of vintage gold wine sat chilling.

"You arranged all this," Han said. "How did you do it?"

Leia propped a hand on her hip. "Really? I helped run a Rebellion, and now I help run a government. I think I can arrange to have some food delivered and for a couple of cleaner droids come in."

"You did all this for me."

"I did it all for us," she corrected him.

"Gods! You are the most amazing woman," Han said, almost reverently. "I don't deserve you."

"No, you don't, but here I am!" Both laughed at that.

Han bent down to kiss her; it was long and deep.

"Do we need to dress for supper, your Worship?" he asked her, when he could breathe again. He looked down at his sandy swim trunks with some chagrin, then at Leia's gold bikini with a little more interest.

"I don't think we need to worry about dressing," Leia pointed out with a sly smile. "That would just slow down what I have planned for the finale!"

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**Later, much later, after the dessert phase of the evening had been completed to their mutual satisfaction, Han and Leia lay spent in the big bed. **Leia stretched languorously, and moaned in weary contentment. She ran her fingers delicately through the silky hair on her husband's naked chest and delighted in the sleepy snort she received in response. She laughed soundlessly as she curled her own body around his, relishing the feel of her bare skin against his.

Outside, past the gently blowing curtains, Corellia's three moons were high in the sky. Earlier, Leia's maternal ears had picked up the sounds of tired giggles as Brendahl returned with the children and saw them safely to bed. _Gods! I hope they sleep late tomorrow!_ Though she knew it wasn't required, Leia would find a way to give the Askajian woman something extra for the favor she'd done them—a stake for her next sabacc tournament, maybe? Leia smiled at the thought. _My goodness, Princess, how different your life is from how you'd planned it._

_How different? _Leia couldn't remember a time, ever since their first time on that interminable trip to Bespin, that she had made love with Han without a tiny voice in her head worrying about what had to be done next. That thought was as dreadful as it was inconceivable! But today she had delegated the cooking, the cleaning, and the childcare to others, with only positive results. Leia planted a soft kiss on Han's bristly cheek.

The time had come to start delegating, Leia realized, so she could start living.


	9. Chapter 9

1CAN WE STAY HERE FOREVER?

Chapter 9

Han and Leia were getting into their swimwear, getting ready for another day at the beach, when they heard Jacen shouting.

"Mom! Dad! Get out here quick!"

"Hurry up!" Was the echo from Jaina.

Leia rolled her eyes, and Han slapped his hand against his forehead. Both looked at each other and said, "What did they do this time?"

They hurriedly threw on enough to be decent and ventured out into the living room. They were relieved to see no blood anywhere.

"Look at Jarik!" Anakin said, pointing his finger at his younger brother.

Sure enough, there was Jarik, walking...on his own!

"Hey buddy," Han said, kneeling down on the floor across from his youngest son, "c'mon over to Dad."

Jarik grinned happily, calling, 'Dada! Dada!' as he made his way across the floor. Han held out his arms and Jarik clumsily stumbled into them, shrieking and giggling.

"He's fully automated now!" Leia said. "We're doomed!"

"Go to Mama," he instructed Jarik, letting the baby pull himself up so he cold head towards Leia. Jarik wobbled a bit, but got his rhythm back as he toddled over towards his mother. Jaina snapped holos of her baby brother, who was loving his new-found skill. Leia picked him up and covered the laughing little boy with kisses.

"Next time, don't scare us like that!" Han told the other kids.

"Well, we thought you'd wanna see!" Jacen protested. "And you guys are always like, in a minute!"

Leia and Han had to concede that in most cases, that was true. And they were happy to see Jarik take his first steps on his own. Of course, he had already been wreaking havoc while crawling. Now that he was bipedal, he'd no doubt find even more creative ways to get into trouble.

"All right, let's get out there," Leia told the family, taking Jarik's hand so that he could walk with her, but he pulled it and said something along the lines of 'myself!'

Leia smiled happily as she stayed nearby while he motored under his own power towards the water. He fell a couple of times, but managed to get back up and move forward. Like all of the Solo kids, he was strong-willed and independent. Lack of Force sensitivity was no barrier to that.

"C'mon, big guy, let's get in the water," Han said, scooping up his protesting son. "You're almost big enough that I can toss you in." Han had a soft spot for his youngest. He hypothesized that he might be able to keep up with a non-Force sensitive child, but Leia knew better.

"How about we teach him to swim first?" Leia suggested.

The two adults put their towels on their recliners and Leia's bag containing Jarek's sippy cup, water bottles for the kids, and ales for her and Han.

Han and Leia headed out into the water with the kids at first, everyone taking a turn holding Jarik. Fortunately, Jarik wasn't terrified by being splashed; he found it amusing. He liked roughhousing with his brothers and sisters.

Since Jarik was enjoying the company of his siblings, Han and Leia decided to make a brief escape.

"Gods, I love it here," Han said as he flopped into his recliner.

"It's not Coruscant. Which is a good thing," Leia said to him.

Han smiled at her. "Remember when we went to the waterpark on Selonia, when we had a long weekend off from work? Not long after we got married?"

"I loved that place!" Leia said excitedly.

"There's one that's supposed to be one of the best in this sector of the galaxy about forty-five standard minutes from here. How about we see if Brendahl's available and take the older kids to it? They've really been good about helping with Jarik, and I think they deserve a day of their own."

"I like the way you think, Flyboy. We should show our kids how's it done," Leia said, smiling at Han and laying her hand on his arm. Even after twelve years of marriage, her touch still made his senses tingle. "And then maybe after we come back, she'd be willing to stay with the kids while you and I have our weekly adults-only dinner."

"I was thinking," Han said to her, his voice soft and sexy. "This weekly adults-only dinner thing–it's something we should try to do more often when we get back to Coruscant. I know it's not always possible, but maybe...maybe we need to make it more of a priority."

"I'm inclined to agree," Leia said. "I am going to tell Mon Mothma that while I will fulfill my responsibilities, I wish to refrain from traveling, unless you and I can travel together." Leia leaned back. "There's a problem, though."

"What kind of problem?" Han asked, trying not to show his slight irritation. Han was not interested in hearing what Mon Mothma's problems might be. Although to be fair, Mon Mothma had supported him when Leia nearly died giving birth to Jarik, caring for their kids. She'd treated Han with more kindness these days, but she still had her moments when she got under his skin.

"Threepio is having a harder time dealing with the kids as they get older. We're going to have to find a suitable nanny. He's always stressed out."

"Threepio was created as a nervous wreck," Han commented. The droid was another one of his pressure points.

"No argument there. I wish we could find someone like Brendahl."

Leia's brain sparked. "Who's to say it couldn't be Brendahl? She does child care to support her tournament play."

"But she lives here," Han protested. "And who in their right mind would want to move to Coruscant?"

"Does she live here? We know she does child care for vacationers, but perhaps she doesn't have a permanent base of operations," Leia responded.

"If there's a tournament, she'll be at it," Han reminded her.

"I don't think that should be a problem. It won't hurt to ask her."

"No, it wouldn't. Hey, the kids like her, and even better, they don't scare her. You're right. Why wouldn't we ask?"

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Han and Leia had suggested the water park to the three older kids and got exactly the reaction they'd hoped for. Well, maybe a little louder than they'd hoped for.

Brendahl was available for the day and was grateful to have received the comm, as the job she had lined up had cancelled, and Han let her know that she would only have one child to deal with. Brendahl said she'd be delighted.

"Brendahl, Leia and I have a proposition for you, and I hope you don't think we're imposing," Han said to her over the comm. "I'm not trying to pry, but do you have a permanent residence on Corellia?"

Brendahl laughed. "Oh, no. I float about, following the galaxy for tournaments and when it's summer on certain planets. I have four sisters and three brothers, and they're all over the place. I either bunk with them or rent a small place."

"Would you be interested in a more permanent position?"

Brendahl became a bit more cautious. "What did you have in mind?"

"Well, we travel a great deal in our jobs, although Leia is going to be traveling less now. I own a shipping business, so I'm out in space a fair bit. Do you think you'd like to work for us whenever you're not in a tournament?"

Brendahl pondered it. "You live on Coruscant. Beastly place. But has some of the best tournaments in the galaxy. That, and Bespin."

"Bespin is nicer, I'll give you that."

"Honey, _anywhere_ is nicer than Coruscant!" She laughed loudly. "May I have some time to think it over?"

"We're here for two more weeks, so please, take your time. I'm out a lot, but then I take time off and I can try to coordinate shipping schedules so that you won't miss any tournaments."

"There's this place on the lower levels on Coruscant. Hideous little place, but my late husband always went there. Had the ugliest spider known to gods and sentients on the outside and the best impromptu sabacc games. It's where I really learned to play."

"Wouldn't happen to be The Glow Spider, would it?" Han asked.

"That's the place! Oh gods, it was horrible and disgusting, but my Merl and me, we had the best times there."

"I've been there and I can attest to how horrible it was. And probably still is." Both laughed.

"I'll see you at 0800," Brendahl promised.

Leia looked over at her husband. "She needs time to think about it, doesn't she?"

"If we were asked to watch our kids, assuming they weren't ours, wouldn't you think it over before you said yes?"

Leia grinned. "You have a point."

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	10. Chapter 10

CAN WE STAY HERE FOREVER?

Chapter 10

Brendahl arrived twenty standard minutes before she was scheduled, much to the delight of Jaina, Jacen and Anakin. They were more than ready for a day of water slides, tubing, and wave pools. Their parents were almost as excited; both loved water parks. It was one of the few things that could make Leia childlike in a way that very few people ever saw. Han loved that side of her.

"How are you, sugar?" Brendahl asked as she picked up a laughing Jarik. "We're in for some fun today, little guy!"

"Not as much as we are!" Jaina responded enthusiastically.

"Well, of course, my dear," Brendahl said. "I loved going to the water park when I was your age! I didn't get to go very much, but it was always a special treat!"

"Can we get going now?" Anakin begged.

"Go now, enjoy! Oh, and Han and Leia? I've considered your offer. I would love to work with you. I've been offered jobs before, but most families, you tell them you play sabacc professionally, they decide you're a derelict or worse!" She cackled loudly. "I'm happy to help a family that appreciates the game—and that has such lovely children!"

"Thank you," Leia said, feeling a huge weight lifted off of her shoulders that she hadn't realized was there. "Han and I have talked. We're going to put up your stake for the Bespin tournament as a starting bonus."

Brendahl hugged Jarik tightly. "I knew your parents were special!" She then looked at the kids. "And you all are, too. Now, run along, the water park is waiting for you!"

"Yay!" the kids - and Leia - shouted with delight as they exited.

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"So Brendahl's gonna be our new nanny?" Anakin asked excitedly as the five headed off in the speeder.

"Yes, she is," Leia told him, a wide smile on her face.

"I'm ten years old! I don't need a nanny!" Jaina declared. But then she confessed, "Brendahl is pretty cool, though as nannies go."

"She's nice," Jacen agreed. "And she doesn't pick at us like Threepio does. He's always complaining."

"Try traveling with him during battle," Han remarked dryly. "On the good side, he does have an on-off switch."

Leia, who was probably the most appreciative of Threepio, had to agree that at times, the droid could work her last nerve. But she wasn't thinking of the golden droid; she was thinking of water slides and twisting tubes and wave pools and having a great outing with most of her family. Soon, now that Jarik was walking, he'd would be old enough to join them.

She was going to miss being on vacation, but she'd enjoyed every moment of this one. There were hundreds of holos they'd taken that would cement the wonderful memories of this time with her family.

Leia made a promise that no more would she allow time to slip away. It was too fleeting, too precious.

And she was determined to outrace Han and the kids the entire day.

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"Wish you'd worn the gold bikini," Han said, adding a naughty wink. "That one has too much coverage."

Leia was clad in a black and white floral printed bikini that she felt was more than adequately skimpy. Years ago, she'd worn one that had as little fabric as the gold one, and she recalled having to adjust it a few times. "This one will be fine. And I don't think the kids would appreciate me being quite that naked."

"Do they even notice?" Han asked skeptically. He doubted it.

"Kids are conservative when it comes to their parents," she reminded him. "I don't think you'd feel comfortable wearing the one you wore on our honeymoon-on the occasions we actually wore clothing." She gave him a lascivious grin. "Not in front of the kids, anyway."

"Sweetheart, I was never comfortable in that thing in front of anyone," Han admitted. "Although I liked your reaction to it."

The line was long and the kids were restless, but they finally moved up and Han laid down several credit chits. Water parks were not a cheap form of recreation, but it would, both parents knew, be worth it.

"I wanna do the Krayt Dragon Drop!" Jaina announced loudly enough for anyone in earshot to hear.

"We should start slower and warm up to it," Jacen disputed her.

"You always wanna start with something wimpy," Jaina shot back.

"Guys!" Han yelled, getting their attention. "Any more arguing and we leave right now!" Apparently the kids decided that Dad wasn't kidding. He didn't shout much, but when he did, they paid attention.

"I'd like to start with something a little less crazy than Krayt Dragon Drop," Leia admitted.

"Let's look at the map." There were more than fifty attractions.

"Bantha Blast looks pretty good," Han commented. "All right, guys, Mom and Dad are about to show you how it's done!"

The three kids shot their parents a withering stare. Jaina spoke up.

"Can you guys pretend like you're not our parents?" Her two brothers thought this was hysterical. "You're like embarrassing us."

"How do you know we aren't embarrassed by you?" Han teased back. "C'mon, Bantha Blast awaits!"

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Bantha Blast was only tame by Solo family standards. It got off to a slow start but then gravity took over and slid one rapidly into a swirling pool.

Han, at age forty-six, was feeling the effects of that gravity a little more than he would have liked.

"How many more do we have left?" he asked Leia.

"Fifty-four, and we're going on all of them," Leia informed him.

"I'm going to need one of your incredible massages tonight," Han told her.

"Han, my love, this is only the first attraction," Leia warned him.

"Yep. That's why I'll need the massage," Han said, relieving a crick in his neck.

"Dad! You're so old!" Anakin piped up as he watched his father try to reset his neck.

Han was not to be outdone by an eight-year-old. "Yeah? We'll see who comes out ahead today!"

The kids laughed.

Leia looked sternly at her husband. "There is no way we are letting those kids outdo us."

"Agreed." Han graced her with a rakish grin.

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By the end of the day, to say that the family was exhausted was a bit like saying there was a slight water shortage on Tatooine. All five staggered towards the speeder, having taken on every single attraction in the park. Han handed Leia the key coder for the speeder and let her drive home. Before they'd left the parking facilities, all three kids had fallen asleep in the back.

"I can do a waterpark anytime," Leia said as she eased into the open airways. "Just maybe not as easily as I could, say, a dozen years ago."

"That massage is really needed tonight, sweetheart," Han told her. He'd started aching when there were about fifteen attractions left, but he was damned if the kids were going to know about it.

"I always keep my promises," Leia reminded him as she hit the accelerator. Han's need for speed was notorious. But Leia had surprised him years ago when she demonstrated that speed was for princesses, too. At least it was for strong-minded, cool, capable princesses. She'd enjoyed the entire day, and the kids were rather in awe that their ordinarily somewhat contained mother was a demon when it came to water play.

She smiled as her family slept; Han lasted another two minutes and he'd gone to the place where the kids had. He snored lightly, which made her smile. Granted, she might not have been as appreciative had he snored like Chewie, but his was a comforting sound, one that made her comfortable and comforted her every night they were together. It was her plan that in the not too distant future, they'd be spending more nights together. It was going to take a while, but already the skeleton of a curriculum had begun to gel in her mind. She would worry about the details when they left, but it was still vacation, and it was such a pleasure to be away from work and Coruscant.

And part of her plan, which she'd revealed to no one, was to get off of Coruscant. She'd grown weary of the place. Corellia had lots of institutions of higher learning, many of them the best in the galaxy. Only Naboo had more, and while Leia had been to Naboo, she didn't feel the same connection to the planet that she did Corellia. Granted, it had been her biological mother's home world but she'd never known her biological mother. She still seemed remote, even though Leia felt she had been a good person.

The South Continent, where they were staying, reminded her much of Alderaan with its green grasses and plants, opulent and colorful flowers, and bright blue skies that were occasionally tinged with touches of teal and violet. The sunset turned the skies a deep gold with splashes of hot pink and bright lavender. She was enjoying driving the speeder and watching the planet all around her.

She thought she might like to live in a house. She'd grown up in the palace, then been stationed on more military bases than she wanted to think about, and finally two flats on Coruscant. She liked the current flat, but there was something that made her feel grounded about the concept of living in a building with only her family, near to the ground instead of on the 353rd floor, which provided a less-than-lovely view of Coruscant's thick and unending traffic and air pollution, and when she stepped outside, the noise was even worse than six Solos could create. Hells, it was noisier than anywhere she'd been in the galaxy. She remembered Mos Eisley being quieter than Coruscant, and that was saying something. There were vehicles, but the traffic moved swiftly and the air wasn't black with emissions.

The idea of going back to work, which she'd dreaded four weeks ago, was less odious now. She wasn't leaving soon, but she was implementing her 'escape,' and she now had an idea of what she wanted and how to do it.

It had, she decided, been the best family vacation they'd ever taken. And the best part was having two weeks left of it.

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When Leia had escorted her weary family to the house, she was greeted by Brendahl and a smiling Jarik.

"He was such a good little man," Brendahl said happily. "He's got a lot of energy, that's for sure."

"Wait'll you're watching four of 'em," Han mumbled, moving slowly.

"Oh, I look forward to it!" Jarik held his arms out to Leia, delighted to see his mother. "I'm off to play some amateur hour sabacc. They're not the best players, but any game is better than none. And I stand a good chance of winning!" She winked at Han, and gave each of the other children a hug. Even Jaina accepted hers.

"Night, Brendahl," Han said to her as he slumped on the sofa.

Leia played and sang to Jarik for a while, but soon the little one became sleepy. The other kids were already in bed. She put the little boy in his jammies and tucked him into bed.

Han was on the sofa, an Alderaanian ale in hand. Leia sat down nearby, tucking her feet under her. She yawned a little.

"Are you the only one who's not tired?" Han asked her teasingly.

"Who said I wasn't tired?" Leia laughed in return. "And I've learned a very useful skill in my career. I've figured out how not to yawn during a boring speech." She laughed.

"You get a lot of practice," Han commented.

"Speaking of practice, I was planning to use my massage skills on a certain sexy ex-smuggler." She flashed a playful grin at Han.

"I hope you haven't changed your mind," Han said, giving her a lopsided smile.

"I was just going to say that we should go into the shower and get ready." Leia eased her way off the sofa.

"Only if you promise to hold me up." Han took her outstretched hand and slowly made his way to the 'fresher with her.


	11. Chapter 11

1CAN WE STAY HERE FOREVER?

Chapter 11

All was quiet from the loft and the baby's room.

"I don't think those kids are going to wake up anytime soon,"Leia assured Han as they sat on the sofa together, bathed in the soft glow of a single lamp made of colored glass.

"Yeah, but what I really hope is that they sleep late in the morning,"Han said. Leia had her legs stretched in front of her, leaning against Han's bare chest. She was clad only in a loose coverup and panties and Han was wearing only his baggy shorts. "I don't know about you, but I think I need to drag these bones to the bedroom."

Leia looked up at him with a mischievous smile. "How about the spa tub? We haven't used it nearly enough."

"Well, this is a family vacation,"Han reminded her.

She smiled back. "And right now, the family's sound asleep. C'mon, it'll do wonders for you."She extended her hand and he took it. The spa tub was in the back of the house, concealed by a high wooden fence. The water was fed from an underground spring and had a very faint odor of sulfur, but light enough to not be bothersome at all. It bubbled vigorously.

"C'mon, let's get you out of these,"Leia said softly as she unfastened Han's shorts and removed them along with his boxers. She did it gently, as his joints were stiff, and she noted that there was something else that was stiffening. She smiled as she seductively removed her coverup and slipped out of her panties.

"Come on in, the water's fine,"Leia urged her husband.

"So's my wife,"Han said as he joined her. The two stood in the water, kissing gently, and lowering themselves into the bubbling hot water.

Nightbird song and the scent of fragrant flowers filled the air. The three moons cast a gentle glow against the navy blue sky, filled with stars.

"Now here are sounds you never hear on Coruscant,"Leia remarked. "Or sights."

"Yeah. Kinda nice, isn't it?" Han had dipped himself into the water up to his chin.

"Very nice. I'd forgotten how much I missed it,"Leia remarked as she moved herself next to Han. "Between the war and living on Coruscant, I've forgotten a lot of things. This vacation has helped bring them back."

"Yeah. Wish I'd lived here growing up,"Han remarked. "Of course, Tralus isn't exactly the garden spot of the Corellian system."

"I could live here on the South Continent,"Leia sighed happily. "I'd like to do that someday...once I get everything into place."

"You said it'll take a few years,"Han reminded her.

"Yes. But it's a goal I'd like for us to achieve,"Leia said. "The kids love it here. Yes, it will be different having to do things like attend school, and not going to the beach every day, but I think they'd be happy. And, one thing that's really important to me is to be able to have a house of our own."

"You mean you don't like living in the stratosphere, in all its disgusting glory on Coruscant?"Han joked with her.

"I'm tired of it,"Leia said simply. "I'm tired of the artificial everything. I hate walking to work and never touching the ground."

"Sweetheart, you don't want to touch the ground on Coruscant,"Han assured her. He could feel the kinks in his muscles start to melt as the bubbling water splashed over him.

"That's my point. I miss the gardens I had growing up. I don't mean the palace gardens. I mean the simple sort where I can plant my ladalum flowers and the pollution won't kill them." Attempts to put nature in place on Coruscant inevitably failed. The only spot with real plant life and grasses was the cemetery, and cemeteries held little allure for Leia.

"Won't you miss having fifty thousand sentinents living in the same building?"Han joked.

"I don't think I'd get lonely without them,"Leia chuckled. "I do hope Chewie would come to live with us here."

"Chewie? He hates Coruscant even more than we do!"Han laughed. "C'mon, he grew up in the forests. Trees and plants and insects are his thing."

"I could skip the insects. But it'd be worth it,"Leia said. She moved to sit on Han's lap, straddling him, the steaming water bubbling around them, causing her cheeks to color.

"Hmm. I think I like what you have in mind,"Han murmured, kissing her softly at first, but deepening it gradually. Leia gently lifted her hips and began ever so slowly sliding down her husband's penis. Han gasped. "Yeah. Oh yeah."Their hips moved in slow motion, making the pleasure last.

"You make me feel so good,"Leia whispered huskily, her lips meeting Han's, her tongue gently probing, Han responding, all of their senses tingling. His hands snaked around her back and cupped one of her breasts, making her moan with pleasure. Their mouths slammed together again, their tongues probing deeper, intensity of passion increasing.

Finally, no longer able to contain themselves, and trying to keep the noise level down so as to not wake anyone in the immediate vicinity, they released themselves, hearts beating wildly, breath catching, and small cries of love and passion released into each other's mouths.

They remained wrapped around each other until their breathing normalized and they felt as if they could stand up without fainting.

Han gave Leia a sweet, lopsided, and blissful smile. "What about that massage, Princess?"

Leia laughed softly. "I did promise."

"Yes, you did, and I'm holding you to it. But I think it'll work better in the bedroom."

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Leia turned on a soft light so that they could make their way to the bed without tripping over anything. Han flopped on to the bed as Leia lit the two candles she'd brought with her. They were delicately scented with a combination of ladalum and vanilla that was both seductive and soothing. From the bureau, she took a vial of massage oil.

Han laid on the bed face down and Leia positioned herself across his posterior portion. He really did, she thought, have a nice one. She warmed the oil as she rubbed her hands together. The oil was free from fragrance-Han's skin, she discovered, was as sensitive as her own.

He murmured approvingly as Leia massaged his muscles. She was extremely strong for a small person, and Han had never appreciated it more than now. All of the aches and pains that the spa tub hadn't taken away were now evaporating from Han's body.

Leia worked from Han's scalp on down, finishing with his feet. Then she gently turned him over.

"You are amazing, sweetheart,"he murmured in his silk-gravel tone.

"I love you, my sweet smuggler,"she said, smiling warmly at him, her eyes filled with tenderness.

Leia was about to start to massage Han's front side, but his hand cupped her chin and gently lowered her face close to his.

"I get the feeling that my sexy hotshot wants to have another go at it,"she whispered as their lips touched.

Han's answer was to nibble at her ear, kissing the spot behind it. It was one of her happy places. Leia made him incredibly happy, and even better, she made him feel young. It wasn't simply that she was a decade younger; she was full of hope for the future, and she had transmitted it deep into his bones.

She had, Han realized, been _his_ future. She and he now had a past. And the present was all he could everything he could possibly ask for.

Their lovemaking in the spa tub had been quick and fiery; this time, it was languid and tender, as if they had all the time in the world.Every touch, every kiss, seemed to stop time in its tracks. It was as if they were in a world of warmth, velvet darkness, soft light and nature all around them.

"I want you, Leia,"Han murmured, his breathing ragged. "I want to be in you."

"Be in me, my love,"Leia urged, her body ready to receive his. One of the nicer parts of growing older was that while it often took more time, it was a much deeper love than the one they'd started with, and it continued to grow that way. Neither would have believed that possible in the early days, and even at their wedding.

Their lives had seldom gone to plan, and yet, those bends in the road had made them who they were now and who they would become. It was all those things that made their souls join, as well as their bodies, as they became one.

All of their emotions and sensations burst forth in a torrent of shuddering and soft cries.

Languishing in the afterglow, Leia's head over Han's heart, each with an arm lazily draped around the other, they were quiet.

"I really could stay here forever,"Han said to his beloved wife as they drifted off to sleep. Very nice last line!


	12. Chapter 12

CAN WE STAY HERE FOREVER?

Chapter 12

The final days of vacation passed with swimming, building sandcastles, grilling nerfburgers and avan, throwing the kids into the water, playing cards and enjoying their time as a family.

Brendahl had headed off for Bespin, for the sabacc tournament, Han and Leia having posted her stake. The last night before she left, Han and Leia headed off for their last romantic dinner.

"If heaven exists, it must look a lot like our vacation," Leia said as she sipped her wine.

"Sweetheart, this is heaven," Han said, smiling, as he enjoyed a high end Alderaanian ale. "And we're gonna be back someday. I'm kinda looking forward to coming home to what's supposedly my homeworld."

"I think this is one of the best vacations we've ever had," Leia said.

"Out of all our vacations, or just the family ones?" Han teased her as a bread basket was silently slipped on to the table. The restaurant was the sort where you didn't need to flag down a server; they hovered silently and invisibly.

"I think it's been good for all of us," Leia said, with a wide smile. "We've done a lot with the kids, but we've had time just for the two of us. The kids have behaved well and they don't seem to be so desperately clamoring for our attention as they do at home."

"That's because we've been around. Which I think we have to make a priority," Han said, a serious note in his voice. "I know Brendahl will help a lot, but we need to be around more. You remember Caryn and Corvus?"

"From Chalmun's? The twenty-year off-again, on-again romance?" Leia asked. "Did they ever get married?"

"Caryn hasn't said it's time yet," Han laughed. "Anyway, I sent them a datacomm. They're joining Less Than Twelve Parsecs Shipping."

"Really!" Leia was pleased. She'd never really hassled Han about it, but she knew he was less than happy about being away as much as he was.

"Well, they've got their own ships, and when they're not fighting they fly together in Caryn's. You didn't think I'd let them fly the _Falcon_, did you?"

"I know how you feel about your old bucket of bolts," Leia said affectionately.

"Hey, that bucket of bolts plays a big role in our lives!" Han reminded her. "Did then, does now."

"Absolutely. I have a lot of good memories from your ship. Well, not all good!" Leia laughed. "I can't say I enjoyed the asteroid field or the space slug. I still can't believe we had our first kiss in the gut of that slug!"

"We don't do it like anyone else, do we?" Han said, giving her a lopsided grin.

"No, we don't," Leia agreed. "I think that's a good thing."

"It's good 'cause of you," Han said, his eyes full of love. "I wouldn't have this life without you."

"If I hadn't met you...I'd still be making politics the center of my life...and by now, I'd be disillusioned and frustrated. Okay, I _am _disillusioned and frustrated by work right now. But I know that I have the family I never thought I'd have, and I have it with the love of my life. I didn't even realize I wanted a home and a family until you came along. Once, of course, I admitted to myself that it was really happening."

"Took you a while," Han teased her gently, reaching across the table to slip her hand in his. "I decided early on I wasn't gonna rush you."

"That was the day we met, right?"

"It was after the trash masher," Han told her, grinning. "That white dress when it got wet-"

"It was filthy and smelled terrible!"

"And it was clingy. I liked that part," Han winked at her.

Leia rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. "You haven't changed a bit."

"You have," Han said. "And all for the better."

"Nice save, Flyboy," Leia commented as their dinners magically appeared. The food, as it had been every time they'd been there was wonderful.

After taking a few bites, Leia said, "I'm ready to go back to work and start working on my next life. "I think I'm ready to go back to work and start working on my next life, now that I know there's a end in sight. It's going to take some time to get to it, but now it doesn't feel as if the agony will go on forever," She laughed a bit, and Han grinned. "And I plan to travel much less. Sometimes nothing substitutes for a face-to-face, but it's not necessary in most instances. Not every problem requires a large-scale meeting. We do have to pay attention to the unrest on various worlds, and that will require some personal visits. But right now, the economic health of the galaxy is better than it's been since we formed the GFFA."

"I dunno, since I deliver a lot of industrial stuff, things are getting a bit soft as far as demand. I hope that'll turn around," Han said. "It's not hurting my business, but I know that there's pressure on pricing."

"You know, I get better info from you than I do from a roomful of economic ministers," Leia told him.

"I'm in the trenches with it," Han said, shrugging. "Economic ministers come and go to work in their hover limos and never see the people who have to unload the stock and assemble the machines and do the grunt work. And there's a reason I go and have drinks with the friends I've made on each planet. You get the real story."

Leia nodded and smiled. Han was actually her best source of input on economic realities. It gave her an edge in assessing a situation. He was a keen observer of beings as well.

"What are you going to do about training pilots?" Leia asked him. "You seem to enjoy it, at least most of the time."

"Unless I get a class of idiots, which does happen on occasion, it's fun. But I'll see what happens when we get closer to moving."

"Well, we'll most likely have to live near Coronet City," Leia said. "But not in the city itself. It's beautiful, and I know it's got docking facilities that are the best in the galaxy, but I've had enough of urban insanity."

"Lots of nice areas around the city. We don't have to have fifty banks of elevators to get to our apartment. We can just walk in the front door," Han said, smiling happily. The idea of living on his birth world was something he was excited to do. He loathed Coruscant even more than Leia had come to, and he'd been sick of it for far longer. As in, when they moved in.

"The kids can enjoy being outside without us worrying if they're going to be choked by the smogs and fumes," Leia added. "I loved being outdoors when I was young. My mother would take me to pick flowers in the garden; the grass under my feet was so soft. I want our kids to know that."

"I remember that from when I was on Alderaan," Han admitted. "That, and having my blaster confiscated. Oh, and in the welcome message there was this really cute little girl in a white dress."

"Do you have any idea how much those braids hurt?" Leia informed him.

"I think you've mentioned it." She had, more than a few times.

The evening lingered, love and laughter surrounding the couple like a soft veil.

The invisible server made himself visible. "Pardon my asking, but are you two newlyweds?"

Both Han and Leia burst into laughter.

"We've been married for twelve years and we have four kids," Han finally told him, once he was able to catch his breath.

That made the server smile. "May you ever be mistaken for newlyweds."

Both were touched by the sentiment, but as they finally departed the restaurant, they started to laugh again.

"I'd like to think I've improved since we got married," Han said to Leia, his arm over her shoulder and hers around his waist.

"Trust me, you haven't," Leia assured him. "And I wouldn't want it any other way."

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"Do we really have to go home?" Anakin whined as the family packed for the journey back to Coruscant. "I wanna stay here forever."

"I know what you mean, kid," Han said. "Did you find your shoes?"

"I don't know where they are. I think I lost 'em."

It occurred to Han that the last time the kids had worn real shoes was the day they took off for vacation. "Don't worry about it," he told his middle son. Anakin was shocked at first to hear this from his father, but then he shrugged and smiled.

"Thanks, Dad."

"Try not to leave anything else behind."

"I won't!" Anakin headed up the stairs.

Han could hear Leia up in the loft, urging the twins to get moving and pack their bags, and indicating that now would be good. Han could hear them protest, and smiled. It had been a great vacation. Work and school beckoned, but they were ready to re-enter their lives.

Jarik, who was now capable of running at one point five past lightspeed, was pulling things from Han's bag as he was trying to pack it. "You know, buddy, you're not that helpful," Han pointed out to him. Jarik thought this activity was hilarious and laughed at his father. Han picked the little guy up-he was getting big very fast. The toddler had grown on the trip and looked to have his father's long limbs and height, along with his love of fast movement. "Okay, big guy, gimme back my shirt," he said to Jarik, who finally handed it over, only to grab another garment from the bag.

_That kid's already following in my footsteps_, Han shook his head, but had to smile.

Leia returned to their bedroom. "And how is this one behaving?" she asked Han as Jarik loudly called out, "Mama!"

"I've repacked my bag about four times so far. I put something in, he takes it out," Han said, shaking his head.

Leia picked him up. "Let's let your dad get ready, okay? We're going to be on the _Falcon_ soon!"

"Fa-ton," Jarik pronounced. "Fa-ton."

"I could be wrong, but I think he's trying to say _Falcon_," Leia said to Han. Jarik, apparently enjoying his newfound word, kept saying it over and over.

Han grinned. "It's a great first word! Wait'll he gets to _no_."

"I can hardly wait," Leia said. "C'mon, little man, let's get you ready to go." She picked him up as he continued to say what she was certain was meant to be _Falcon_.

Jaina came barging into Han and Leia's room. "Dad, can I pilot on the way home?"

Han looked at her. "Think you're ready to make the jump to lightspeed?"

Jaina contemplated the question. "I think so. You've shown me lots of times."

"Okay, you can do it, but if things get hairy, you're in the navigator's chair. Deal?

"Deal. I'm gonna give you the best ride ever!" Jaina squealed as she exited.

"Somehow," Han said, muttering softly, "I doubt it, but the kid's gotta start somewhere."

Jacen came down, dropping his bag to the floor. "Did you mean it when you said someday we'd come back and stay here forever?" He looked directly at his mother.

"I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it," Leia assured him. "It's going to take a long time, but we'll get here." Leia figured three years seemed an eternity to a ten-year-old, even if she felt that three years would race by for her.

Han smiled at her. "Yep. Someday, we're gonna come back and stay here forever."


End file.
